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September 15, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
September 15, 2025
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Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi
JAPAN / Politics
Koizumi, Takaichi seen running ahead in race for LDP member votes
In last year's LDP leadership election, Takaichi secured the highest number of party member votes at 109.
Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi
Displaced Palestinians move with their belongings southwards as smoke billows from Israeli strikes in Gaza City on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Israel intensifies Gaza City bombing as Rubio arrives
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Simon Lewis
Aid agencies say an Israeli takeover of Gaza City would be catastrophic for a population already facing widespread malnutrition.
Senior U.S. and Chinese led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang meet to discuss trade and economic issues in Madrid on Sunday.
BUSINESS
U.S. and China end first day of talks in Spain on trade and TikTok deadline
By David Lawder
The talks mark the fourth time in as many months that the two nations have attempted keep their trade relationship from collapsing.
With one month left to go, crowds are expected to swell at the World Expo in Osaka during its final weeks.
JAPAN
Final weeks of World Expo in Osaka likely to see large crowds
At its current pace, the Expo will top 22 million visitors — which is the target to break even on operating costs — and is expected to turn a profit.
Shinji Ohmaki’s “Tokinokage” exhibited at Fuji Textile Week 2021 shows the use of fabric as art.
CULTURE / Art
Japan's major art events converge this fall
By Zoria Petkoska and Thu-Huong Ha
Dozens of biennials, triennials, art festivals and fairs are taking place between September and December.
Shinji Ohmaki’s “Tokinokage” exhibited at Fuji Textile Week 2021 shows the use of fabric as art.

JAPAN

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’
By Alex K.T. Martin
Young Japanese are saying no to booze — and yes to mocktails, gaming and sober nights out. Breweries are pivoting to meet them.
The estimated number of people age 65 or older in Japan stands at 36.19 million as of Monday, accounting for record 29.4% of the country's total population, according to the internal affairs ministry.
Japan's elderly population down at around 36.2 million
The estimate, released ahead of Respect for the Aged Day on Monday, decreased for the first time in two years.
DPP eyes leadership role as it marks fifth anniversary
Emperor, empress attend opening ceremony of national cultural festivals
Japanese anime event opens in New Delhi
MSDF Aegis destroyer Chokai to test-fire Tomahawk missiles

BUSINESS

A statue of young swordsman Tanjiro Kamado, the title character in the "Demon Slayer" anime franchise, is displayed at a cinema in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on Sept. 9.
Sony’s ‘Demon Slayer’ sets anime record in North American box office debut
By Sohee Kim and Thomas Buckley
The "Infinity Castle" film, brought in $70 million, topping the previous $31 million record set by "Pokemon: The First Movie — Mewtwo Strikes Back" in 1999.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s most concrete step to rein in unprecedented budget deficits — sweeping tariff hikes — faces the danger of a legal reversal that would put the nation’s finances on an even shakier footing.
Tariffs face legal threat that puts Trump’s deficit plan at risk
U.S. President Donald Trump’s most concrete step to rein in unprecedented budget deficits — sweeping tariff hikes — faces the danger of a legal reversal that would put the nation’s finances on an even shakier footing.
Summer bonuses at major Japan firms hit record
How Chinese EV tech is reshaping global auto design
‘PowerPoint broke me’: The challenges for blind professionals
By Miquela V Thornton
U.S. and Japan pledge not to manipulate forex for competitive advantage
By Erica Yokoyama and Takashi Umekawa

WORLD

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the Henkel AG factory in Dusseldorf, western Germany, on Saturday.
German far right triples support in vote in Merz home state
By Chris Reiter and Kamil Kowalcze
The trend intensifies pressure on the German chancellor’s government to revive growth and push through reforms.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani chairs a preparatory meeting in Doha on Sunday ahead of an Arab Islamic summit.
Qatar's PM urges world to reject 'double standards' and punish Israel
Silence is encouraging Israel to continue, Qatari Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warns.
Philippine president says corruption scandal protests justified
Trump and King Charles: Heads of state with opposing personalities
By Brigitte DUSSEAU
U.S.-U.K. nuclear pact to precede tech, whisky deals on Trump visit
By Alex Wickham
Russia targets billionaire’s empire over alleged Ukraine links

Sports

Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates after winning the women's long jump final at the World Athletics Championships at Tokyo's National Stadium on Sunday night.
Tara Davis-Woodhall leaps to gold and finds redemption at world championships
By Jason Coskrey
The U.S. long jumper won her first world title in the long jump back in Tokyo, the city that reduced her to tears just four years ago.
Simbu dips past Petros for world marathon gold
Seville and Thompson seal Jamaican 1-2 over Lyles in 100-meter final
By Jason Coskrey
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden takes 100-meter title and sets championships record in Tokyo
By Sam Byford
'Smart' Inoue beats Akhmadaliev by unanimous decision

Opinion

A soldier on a tank waves an Israeli flag amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas near the Israel-Gaza border in January 2024. 
War responsibility across borders and generations
Kumiharu Shigehara
The Asia-Pacific War is often remembered for the culpability of leaders, but this overlooks the multitudes who filled the ranks below.
Is violence policy in Donald Trump’s new America?
By Jan-Werner Mueller
Banning teens from YouTube won’t keep them safe
By Catherine Thorbecke
Israel’s Doha strike has destroyed American credibility
By Daoud Kuttab
America’s politics turn bloody

ENVIRONMENT

Smoke streams from a smokestack at a refinery in Anacortes, Washington, last October. The Environmental Protection Agency moved on Friday to stop requiring thousands of polluting facilities to report the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that they release into the air.
U.S. moves to scrap emissions reporting by polluters
U.S. President Donald Trump has heavily promoted new oil, gas, and coal extraction while moving to suppress competition from solar and wind.
Rising oceans to threaten 1.5 million Australians by 2050: report
By Laura Chung
Scientists link major carbon emitters to worsening heat waves
By Coco Liu and Eric Roston
Drought hit over half of Europe in mid-August, EU data shows
China’s green push may cut global fossil use by 2030, says think tank

CULTURE

Shinji Ohmaki’s “Tokinokage” exhibited at Fuji Textile Week 2021 shows the use of fabric as art.
Japan's major art events converge this fall
By Zoria Petkoska and Thu-Huong Ha
Dozens of biennials, triennials, art festivals and fairs are taking place between September and December.
Mei Ehara’s third album finds clarity in the noise
By Patrick St. Michel
‘100 Meters’ brings kinetic energy to rivalry drama
By Matt Schley
Tokyo International Comedy Festival doubles down on diversity and scale
By Moe Shimizu
Unsound turns Osaka into a laboratory of avant-garde music
By James Hadfield

LIFE

Sensing a bleak future for the local "awamori" liquor, Mizuho Distillery ventured into rum production, releasing a collection of eight rums made from "kokutō" (partially refined or unrefined sugar) sourced from various islands in Okinawa Prefecture.
The sweet rise of Okinawan rum
By Miriam Gradel
The spirit is emerging out of the shadow of the local “awamori” liquor, thanks to a growing band of producers who are keen to tell the tale of the islands' traditional agriculture.
In Bali, the Ritz-Carlton’s ultraluxury Mandapa hotel marks 10 years
By Owen Ziegler
'He's a regular man, not unlike us': Marking 40 years of Mario games
By Kilian Fichou and Mathias Cena
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s announcement hits all the right notes in Japan
By Yuko Tamura
Overnight mulberry matcha oats are the perfect answer to a busy morning
By Simon Daly

COMMUNITY

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swastika Jajoo (fourth from right) began attending the daily radio calisthenics routine at Sendai’s Kitasanbancho Park and struck up unexpected friendships with a group of elderly residents.
Calisthenic companions bridge cultures and generations
By Swastika Jajoo
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a doctoral student in Sendai found friendship in unexpected places.
Melos Han-Tani: ‘Figuring out what you value is valuable for any artist’
By Gendel Gento
Gentle care is the key to Cymbal’s heart
Canadian-born politician tackles Ibaraki’s issues big and small
By Gendel Gento
Smiley, spirited Hampen will run into your arms

Editors' Picks

WORLD
Strikes on Qatar and Poland shake U.S. sway among friend and foe
By Courtney McBride
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Museum of the Bible in Washington on Sept. 8. Israeli strikes in Qatar and Russian drone incursions into Poland have challenged the U.S. leaders claims of global respect.
CULTURE
Japan's major art events converge this fall
By Zoria Petkoska and Thu-Huong Ha
Shinji Ohmaki’s “Tokinokage” exhibited at Fuji Textile Week 2021 shows the use of fabric as art.
LIFE
An aesthetic escape to Hakone’s art-drenched hills
By Erik Augustin Palm
Between traditional examples of fine art and sleek, modern exhibitions that blend with nature, Hakone offers a unique escape from Tokyo's urban sprawl.
BUSINESS
Niinami’s ouster quick but not unusual as corporations protect reputation
By Kazuaki Nagata
Takeshi Niinami resigns as chairman and CEO of Suntory Holdings.
JAPAN
As Manila modernizes its military, new opportunities emerge for Tokyo
By Gabriel Dominguez
A Brahmos missile system is displayed during a rehearsal for a military parade in New Delhi in January. The Philippines will soon receive its second batch of the supersonic cruise missiles from India.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’
By Alex K.T. Martin

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo
Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo

COMFACTS

Kengo Suzuki of Tsunan Sake Brewery Serves as Official Judge at ICC KYOTO 2025 “SAKE AWARD”
Kengo Suzuki of Tsunan Sake Brewery Serves as Official Judge at ICC KYOTO 2025 “SAKE AWARD”
TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
Is America ready for Japanese-style 7-Elevens?
By River Akira Davis
Convenience stores are a fixture of Japanese life and 7-Eleven, a chain that began in the U.S. in 1927, opened its first store in Japan in 1974 — and then became wholly Japanese-owned in 2005 through parent company Seven & I Holdings.
JAPAN
Japan's cutting-edge railgun successfully strikes target vessel
By Gabriel Dominguez
The Defense Ministry’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) conducted a ship-board railgun shooting test from June to early July this year with the support of the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
JAPAN
‘Fairytale’ Shirakawago ranked one of the world’s most beautiful villages
By Elizabeth Beattie
Forbes and Unforgettable Travel Company have ranked Shirakawago in Gifu Prefecture as Asia's most beautiful village.
BUSINESS
People rush to make furusato nozei donations ahead of tighter rules
A booth from the town of Betsukai in Hokkaido at an Amazon Japan furusato nо̄zei promotion event, on Sept. 5 in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
JAPAN
Why more hotels in Japan are offering room-only service
Nipponia Hotel Ise Kawasaki Merchant Town in Ise, Mie Prefecture